The Lexmark X204n is a compact, business-oriented monochrome multifunction printer that prints, scans, copies and faxes. It boasts a 9 second warm-up time, has an instant-on feature, and it reaches print speeds of 24 pages per minute at a print resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi. Optical scanning resolution is 600 dpi. The X204n is network-ready, as indicated by the 'n' tag, and it fully supports all Windows operating systems since Windows 2000 and Mac OS X. It faxes via a 33.6Kbps fax modem, and it has full PC-fax support. The X204n has a 205 sheet paper tray, a single-sheet multipurpose feeder, and a 30 sheet automatic document feeder (ADF). Despite the business focus, Lexmark prices this unit low enough so that it's a viable option for the home user.
Design
With the X204n, Lexmark uses a very basic cube-style design with an extremely small footprint. It has a two-tone colour scheme: the majority is dark grey, and it has business white at the face. Up top, there is the ADF and a deluxe, well-designed control panel with an LCD display. The high quality of the keyboard/control panel is a little surprising at this price point. The physical design offers convenient access to the internals. Lexmark has spaced the internal design well, which makes it easy to swap Lexmark X204n cartridges and to fix paper jams. One downside to the Lexmark X204n is that the paper input capacity is not upgradable.
Advantages
What sets the Lexmark X204n apart from other printers in this class is its price. This is a business machine through and through suitable for the demanding small office, but Lexmark prices it at the upper range of the home-user market. This makes it a particularly good option for the home user willing to splurge a little and for the small office working on a tight budget. In addition, this doesn't come at the cost of performance.
Disadvantages
The biggest problem with the Lexmark X204n is its non-upgradable capacity. The X204n can handle a heavy workload, but the capacity can become a major bottleneck long before you get there. The office that needs to perform large, unattended jobs will need to look elsewhere. Another issue is the lack of duplexing support. This is usually a standard feature on business-class machines like this one.
